Turn on your computer, and there it is–waiting for you to start using it. We’re talking, of course, about Windows XP–the world’s most ubiquitous operating system–and if you want to make the most of it, you need this thorough, practical guide from veteran author Michael Miller. In this thoroughly updated volume, Michael covers all the basics of installing, setting up, and getting online with Windows XP as well as all the features new to the latest edition: Windows Security Center, Windows Firewall, changes to Windows Update, Internet Explorer’s pop-up blocker and download monitoring, Outlook Express security, Wireless Networking Wizard, and the revised operation and features of Windows Media Player. You’ll start by getting acquainted with XP’s interface before moving on to discover how to work with files, programs, and peripherals, and how to take Windows online. Along the way you’ ll find out how to chat online with Windows Messenger, send mail with Outlook Express, surf the Web with Internet Explorer, and more!
(more…)

How to Cheat at Designing a Windows Server
2003 Active Directory Infrastructure follows Syngress�s proven �How to
Cheat� methodology, which is specifically designed to provide
overworked and stressed out System Administrators and �part-time� Sys
Admins an easy-to read and implement guide to the most concise
information needed to complete a task. The book will start off by
teaching readers to create the conceptual design of their Active
Directory infrastructure by gathering and analyzing business and
technical requirements. Next, readers will create the logical design
for an Active Directory infrastructure. Here the book starts to drill
deeper and focus on aspects such as group policy design. Finally,
readers will learn to create the physical design for an active
directory and network Infrastructure including DNS server placement; DC
and GC placements and Flexible Single Master Operations (FSMO) role
placement.

(more…)

This comprehensive reference provides what you need to plan, install, configure,
and maintain a Windows Server 2003 R2, SP1, operating system. Covering critical
new SP1 security features, the new Windows Update service, and expanded Active
Directory management tools, the latest edition of this guide is packed with
information, including key changes that alter the way the powerful Windows Server
2003 operating system is installed, configured, and maintained. Improve security,
extend your corporate network, optimize e-mail, chat, and other communications,
and more - this book will show you how.
Inside, you’ll find complete coverage of Windows Server 2003
Plan your Windows Server 2003 R2, SP1, single-system or enterprise deployment
Find out the best ways to secure the network, including encryption, secure
sockets, Kerberos, and other certificates
Protect your corporate network automatically with new Windows Update Service
Extend the enterprise network to branch offices with enhanced Active Directory
management tools
Facilitate change control over users, computers, security, and the workspace,
using Group Policy technology
Develop an effective storage, backup, and disaster recovery strategy
Implement scalable solutions that stay up and online day after day, and
still handle disasters
Explore thin-client deployment, set up Terminal Services, and configure
application servers
Stay on top of printer management, Internet printing, and troubleshooting

Sorry for the inconvenience. The new link was updated already.
(more…)

Now fully updated for Windows Server 2003 with SP1 and Windows Server
2003 R2, the ADMINISTRATOR�S COMPANION provides comprehensive,
practical information for planning, implementing, and supporting
Windows Server 2003�in a single volume.

Key Book Benefits:

� Fully updated for Windows Server 2003 SP1 and the R2 release of Windows Server 2003

� Provides ready answers, practical solutions, and clear procedures for administering Windows Server 2003

� Details all aspects of product deployment, administration, and support in a single volume

� Includes a CD-ROM with an eBook and sample utilities

(more…)

While computers and other devices identify each other on networks or
the Internet by using unique addresses made up of numbers, humans rely
on the Domain Name System (DNS), the distributed database that allows
us to identify machines by name. DNS does the work of translating
domain names into numerical IP addresses, routing mail to its proper
destination, and many other services, so that users require little or
no knowledge of the system. If you’re a network or system
administrator, however, configuring, implementing, and maintaining DNS
zones can be a formidable challenge. And now, with Windows Server 2003,
an understanding of the workings of DNS is even more critical.

DNS on Windows Server 20003 is a special Windows-oriented edition of the classic DNS and BIND,
newly updated to document the many changes to DNS, large and small,
found in Windows Server 2003. Veteran O’Reilly authors, Cricket Liu,
Matt Larson, and Robbie Allen explain the whole system in terms of the
new Windows Server 2003, from starting and stopping a DNS service to
establishing an organization’s namespace in the global hierarchy.

Besides covering general issues like installing, setting up, and maintaining the server, DNS on Windows Server 2003
tackles the many issues specific to the new Windows environment,
including the use of the dnscmd program to manage the Microsoft DNS
Server from the command line and development using the WMI DNS provider
to manage the name server programmatically. The book also documents new
features of the Microsoft DNS Server in Windows Server 2003, including
conditional forwarding and zone storage in Active Directory (AD)
application partitions.

(more…)

Take control of Windows XP and get the most
out of everything this powerful operating system has to offer. Written
by Microsoft Windows XP Expert Zone columnist Joli Ballew, this book
shows you hundreds of tips and tricks you�ll be able to use right away.
Learn to do everything from kick starting the boot process to disabling
unnecessary applications and services to taking advantage of built-in
administrative tools. Start at the beginning or jump straight to the
task you want to perform. You�ll get full details on security and
Service Pack 2, remote access, gaming functions, networking features,
multimedia capabilities, and so much more. Work faster, smarter, and
more securely with help from this definitive guide.

(more…)

Hundreds of thousands of new computer users are looking for
straightforward, easy-to-understand information on how to use the
latest version of Windows XP to make computing easier. Absolute
Beginner’s Guide to Microsoft Windows XP is the perfect tool to get
these new Windows users up and running, by focusing on how the features
of the operating system are used in everyday tasks. It includes the
latest coverage of Service Pack 1-the first update to Windows XP since
its 10/01 release. The book also serves as a useful resource for more
experienced computer users who have recently upgraded to XP.

(more…)

Windows XP powers millions of PCs and is without a doubt the most
widely used operating system in the world today. This rock solid
operating system offers dozens of features for consumers, plus powerful
applications and integrated networking tools all blended into an
elegant interface. But working your way through all of these features
and applications can be complicated. Whether you use this software at
home or at work, sometimes you just want to learn the most commonly
used features, not every option and nuance.

For anyone interested in zeroing in and learning just the information they need without all the complicated jargon, Windows XP for Starters: The Missing Manual provides just the solution.

Author David Pogue delivers an accessible and much needed guide with his trademark humor and friendly style. Windows XP for Starters: The Missing Manual
provides clear explanations, with easy-to-follow, step-by-step
instructions, and plenty of illustrations that make for a refreshingly
simple approach to XP.

Far more than a skimpy introduction but much less daunting than a weighty tech book, Windows XP For Starters: The Missing Manual unveils easy tips and tricks for making the most of the XP experience.

Whether you’re a first-time user who just wants the basics, or an experienced user who simply needs a quick overview, our new Windows XP For Starters: The Missing Manual
is designed from the ground up to save you time and deliver what you
need to know. Find out why this book is exactly what you need.

(more…)

Each year, Windows XP is pre-installed on 30 million PCs sold in the
U.S.–and 90 million worldwide–making it the world’s most popular
operating system, and proving to frustrated users everywhere that
preponderance does not equate to ease of use. There are literally
thousands of programs, tools, commands, screens, scripts, buttons,
tabs, applets, menus, and settings contained within Windows XP. And it
has only been in the last couple of years that Microsoft’s
documentation has actually been more of a help than a hindrance. But it
still isn’t enough.

Windows XP users and administrators need a quick and easy way to find
answers. Plenty of books go into detail about the theory behind a
particular technology or application, but few go straight to the
essentials for getting the job done. Windows XP Cookbook does just that, tackling the most common tasks needed to install, manage, and support Windows XP.

Featuring a new twist to O’Reilly’s proven Cookbook formula, this
problem-solving guide offers multiple solutions for each of its
300-plus recipes. Solve dilemmas with the graphical user interface, the
command line, through the Registry, or by using scripts. Each
step-by-step recipe includes a discussion that explains how and why it
works. The book is also among the first to cover Microsoft’s XP Service
Pack 2. With these practical, on-the-job solutions, Windows XP Cookbook will save you hours of time searching for answers.

Windows XP Cookbook
will be useful to anyone that has to use, deploy, administer, or
automate Windows XP. But this isn’t a typical end-user book; it covers
the spectrum of topics involved with running Windows XP in both small
and large environments. As a result, IT professionals and system
administrators will find it a great day-to-day reference. And power
users will find Windows XP Cookbook a great source for information on tweaking XP and getting the most out of their systems. The bottom line is that Windows XP Cookbook will make just about anyone who uses XP more productive.

(more…)

This book is the Windows Server version of the classic TCP/IP Network Administration.
Like the book that inspired it, Windows Server 2003 Network Administration
provides an overview of the essential TCP/IP protocols, and explains how to
properly manage and configure the services based on these protocols. Any skilled
network administrator knows that understanding how things work is as important
as knowing how things are done. This book is the essential guide to both, containing
everything a network administrator needs to exchange information via the Internet,
and to build effective reliable networks.

This must-read guide is divided into three distinct sections: fundamental concepts,
tutorial, and reference. The first three chapters are a basic discussion of
the network protocols and services. This discussion provides the fundamental
concepts necessary to understand the rest of the book. The remaining chapters
provide a how-to tutorial for planning, installing and configuring various important
network services. The book concludes with three appendixes that are technical
references for various configuration options. Content specifics include how
to:

Install, configure, and manage a Microsoft DNS and Windows DHCP server

Control remote communications with Microsoft RRAS software

Protect hosts with Internet Connection Firewalls

Configure Internet and Intranet Web services with IIS

Design proper security into your network

Troubleshoot the network when problems develop

After you’ve turned the final page of Windows Server 2003 Network Administration,
you’ll not only understand how to network, but also why it needs to be
done.

(more…)